Controller for motor-vehicles.



PATENTED 001*. 15, 1907.

0. 5. FREAR. GQ-NTROLLER FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED JAILZ, 1907.

i To all whom it may concern:

UNITED ST ries rATENT OF ICE,

CLARK E. FREAK, OF LAKE WINOLA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CONTROLLER FOR' MOTOR-VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. is, 1907.

Application filed January 2,1907. Serial No. 350,458.

The object of the invention is to provide simple .means for steering orcontrolling the direction of movement of motor vehicles.

In the invention the wheels are provided with a divided axle-box havinggrooves in its cavity and adapted I to receive a ball on the end of theaxle to constitute a similarly designated; Figure 1 is a plan view of aportion 5 of an automobile or motor-vehicle frame, with the 'inventionapplied thereto. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinalsection, on a largerscale, of the wheel-hub and a,

universal connection between said box and axle. The ball has pins orlugs to fit the grooves in the'axle-box and thereby to'rotatably connectthe wheel and axle. The axle and axle-box are further connected by asleeve fitted upon the axle-box and provided with an externalcircumferential groove or flange, to receive an inwardly,

projecting flange on a slotted plate through which the axle passes, thisplate being providedwith means for shifting it, whereby the wheelssupplied with these features may be turned to control the direction ofmovement of the vehicle, all as I will proceed now more particularly toset forth and finally claim.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the in-.

vention, in-the several figures of which. like parts are portion of theframe, with the controller mechanism applied thereto. Fig'. 3 is avertical section, on a larger scale, taken inthe plane of line A B, Fig.2,,and looking.

in the directionoi the arrow, the spokes of the wheel being omittted.Fig. 4 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is anelevation of the controller-plate.

The hub 1 of the wheel is provided with-an axle-box constructed ofhalves 2 and 3, preferably united horizontally and having an interiorspherical cavity 4 terminating in a circular flaring opening 5 upon theinner side. The cavity 4 is provided with asuitable number axle-boxwithi'nthe hub, and as one illustration, a spline or key 9 is madeintegral with the section 2 of the axlebox and adapted to fit in acorresponding groove in the hub.

The axle 10 is provided at its end with a ball 11 fitted snugly withinthe cavity 4 of the axle-box and provided with pins or lugs 12 adaptedto enter the grooves 6 in said cavity to thereby lock the axle andaxle-box together, whereby the wheel may be turned by the rota tion ofthe axle.

The grooves 6 in the axle-box are of suflicierit Width and suchcurvature with relation to the pins or-lugs 12 toperrnit a free movementof the axle-box about the ball 11, in shifting the wheel for steeringpurposes.

The axle is preferably mounted in ball-bearing boxes 13 carried by theframe members 14.

The inner ends of the axle-box sections 2and 3 are screw-threaded, as at15, and are adapted to receive a screw-threaded collar or sleeve 16whereby the axlebox sectionsare'more firmly united, and said collar 16 iis provided with an external circumferential groove 17. .Acntroller-plate 18 having a horizontal slot 19 is fitted upon the axle 10adjacentto the inn r end of the hub or axle-box of the wheel, and isprovided with a flange 20 secured thereto by means of bolts 21 orotherwise, and -said flange 20 projects inwardly and enters the groove17 in the sleeve or collar 16 to permit free rotatio noi the wheel withrelation to the controllerplete and its flange. It will beobserved thatthe holdzontal slot 19 in the controller-plate 18 snugly fits the axleof the vehicle and permits a lateral longitudinal movement of the wheel,and at the same time serves as a support for the wheel to preventvertical movement or tilting of the wheel. The controller-plate 18 isalso provided with a lateral lug or projection 22 adapted to beconnected with any suitable steering gear,

In rder to' afford an additional support for the edittroller-plate andto prevent vertical movement or wabbling of the wheel, a bracket or stepplate 23 is rigidly secured, preferably, to the under-side of theballbearing boxes 13, and projects beneath and engages the lowerstraight edge of the controller-plate 18 and ismade of suflicient widtht support said plate in its I movements.

v As shown in Fig. 1, preferably all of the wheels of the vehicle areprovided with the features of this invention, and by this provision, itis possible to'utilize all four of the wheels of the vehicle as drivingand steering wheels. The front and rear axles are geared with thedriving power (not shown) by chains 24 25.

.W hen all or the wheels are utilized as steerin'g wheels, thecontroller-plates of the several Wheels are connected by means of a setof controlling levers 26 oper ated from a steering-post 27. By thisarrangement, the

fiont wheels and, rear wheels may be shifted right obother direction,the controller-plates are shifted upon the axles and their supportingplates 23 and carry with them the wheels, the circular flaring op mings5 in the and by movement of the steering levers 26 in one or the iaxle-boxes permitting the movement of thewheels aboutithee'xles inforderto steer the vehicle in the desired direction; I I

In order to reduce friction between'the controllerplates and the wheels,the connection between these parts may be provided with. any suitablearrangement of anti-friction bearings, and as an illustration, I haveshown in Fig 2, balls 28 arranged between the flange 200f thecontrollerplate and the bottom of the groove 17 in the sleeve 16. of theaxle-box. A

I I wish to be understood as not limiting my invention to the exactdetails of construction herein shown and described, asthe same may bealtered in various pan W at Iclililn is:- I

1; 'A jeontroiler fOlJJlOt'OI' vehicles, having a pivotaliy mountedwheel whose hub has an external circumferential groove upon its inner end,a controllerplate movably mounted upon'end' engaging the axle of saidvehicle and provided withan'inwardly projecting flange engaging saidgroove, and means ,for shifting said plate.

2. A controller for motor, vehicles, having a pivotally mounted wheelwhose huh has an external circumferential groove upon its inner end,icontroller-plnte having a horizontal slot edepted toreceiveand engage"the axle of the vehicle and on inwardiy projecting flange engagingHoller-plate. I p H "3. A controller fonmotor vehicles, having apivotally mounted'wheel whose hub has an external circumferential grooveupon its inner end. a controller-plate having a horizontal slot hdaptedto receive and engage, the axle of the groove inthe hub, and means forshifting the said conthe vehicle and to permit horizontalmovementpfsaidv controller-plate and also serving as asupport for thewheel ugeinsi vertical tilting movement, an inwardly pro- ,iectlng'flange onsaid' controller-plate in engagementgwith the groovein the hubto permit rotation of the wheel, and

means for shifting said confioiler-plate.

4. A controller for motor vehicles, comprislnge pivotuliymounted"wheel'whose hub has a circumferential groove upon-its inner end,a controller-plate having a horizontal slot adapted toreceive and engagethe axle of the vehicieand to permit horizontal movement of saidcontroller plate and also serving as a support for the wheel againstvertical tilting movement, a flange on said controller-plate inengagement with the groov'e'i'n the hub and, permitting rotation of theWheel, a supporting-plate ticulars and still be within the scope of myinvention for said controller-plate rigidlysecured to the frame of thevehicle, and means for shifting saidjcontrollei platei 5. In a motorvehicle, a wheel having a hub, a horizontally divided axle-box securedin said hub and provided with an interior spherical. cavity undocircular flaring opening, longitudinal slots in said spherical cavity,an axle provided w h a ball upon its end adapted to fi tdn :thesfrhcrichldvitg: of the axle-box and having pins or lugs upon itssurface adapted to enter the grooves in said caviiy to lock the axle andwheel together, a sleeve or coilur fitted upon the inner end of saidaxle-box to lock the purtsthereot together and provided with an externalcircumferential groove, combined with a controller-plate havim, ahorizontal slot adapted to fit upon and engage the axle of the vehicleand having :in inwardly"projecting finngeioosciy engaging the groovein'saicl'collar or sleeve, and menus for shifting the said controllerplate for tnrning the wheel in either direction. i

6. 1m motor ve'hicle. front and rear axlesfwhcels universally mountedupon said axles and r'otuinhly connected therewith. means for drivingboth of szfid axles, the hubs of said wheels having circumferentialgrooves vnpontheir inner ends, controller-plates having horizontal slotsadapt- 'ofsu'id wheels having circumferential grooves upon theirinnerends. controiler-pl11tes having'horizontzil slots' dnpted, to fitupon and engagethe axles; fl'anges'omsaid" controller-plates looselyengaging the grooves insaid hubs anti-friction devices arrnngcd betweensaid controllerplates and said hubs, supporting-platesfor saidcontrollerplntes rigidly secured to the .vehicle frame, steering'l eversconnected with said controller-plates, and meansfor operatlng saidsteering-levers, whereby the front and-wear wheels may be turnedrightoblique and left-oblique, re} spectivcly, or vice verse. I 3

V In testimony whereof llmivehereunto setrny hand this ist dr y ofJanuary A. '1). 1907.

CLARK n5 r nnin.-

Witnesses Ronnnr II. STARK.

ed to fit upon and engzrgc'ihe axles, flanges on said con- I therewith,means for driving both of said axles, the-hubs

